USAF X-37B Lands after ~2 Year Mission

[tbzep]

718 day mission. Landed today on the KSC shuttle runway.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/05/07/x-37b-spaceplane-returns-to-earth-and-makes-precision-autopilot-landing/

[dlazarus6660]

I saw that on the news.

[Jerry Irvine]

I know a couple people that work that program. What it does is highly classified, so let your mind wander.

Until 8 years ago no satellites had defensive measures because they were not envisioned.

I want to add some had quiet suicide measures.

[blackshire]

718 day mission. Landed today on the KSC shuttle runway.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/05/07/x-37b-spaceplane-returns-to-earth-and-makes-precision-autopilot-landing/Thank you! This article lists which vehicle (of the two known to have been built) flew which mission, but it hasn't been revealed which one flew this latest (fourth) mission. In addition to its secret sensors and the test version of the Hall Effect electric thruster that it carried, it also functioned as a miniature "LDEF (Long-Duration Exposure Facility) with wings," exposing samples of various materials and coatings to the space environment. Also:

It will be interesting to see if SpaceX bids to launch the X-37B spaceplanes in the future (I think they'd fit inside the Falcon 9's payload fairing, and be within its LEO payload mass capability), and:

I hope that Estes, Quest, or another model rocket company produces a scale X-37B boost-glider, as either an RTF model or a kit. Such a model could be either a parasite glider or a rear-motor "power pod"-equipped one. The motor pod could be ballasted up front and be parachute-recovered, like the one in the famous (or infamous) Estes "foam Shuttle" boost glider, and a removable-for-flight plastic rocket engine display nozzle could be included.